Between Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a deep collection of outfielders, which some may say includes Scott Van Slyke. Two months into the season, and the team appears to be coming closer to answering questions regarding their crowded outfield situation.

Manager Don Mattingly has made it clear Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig should be every day players, which leaves Crawford and Ethier to platoon in left field. However, Mattingly’s decision making became questionable when he sat Ethier on Saturday, who is a career .429 hitter against San Francisco Giants’ starter Matt Cain. The Dodger veteran ended up coming into the game in the eighth inning as a pinch-hitter, but Saturday’s game marked the third game Ethier was left out of the lineup.

The 32-year-old has come to terms with the way Mattingly is handling the outfield and understands that even if he is not playing everyday, he still has an important role on the team. Whatever the Dodgers ask of him, Ethier says he is prepared to play to the best of his abilities.

About The Author

Nadia Tseng is a UCLA student looking to pursue a career in the film or sports industries. A New York sports fan at heart, she co-hosts an MLB talk show for UCLA Radio and is currently an editorial intern for Screen International.